Perhaps the most often asked question from our clients about Europe river cruising is “What is the best Europe River Cruise Line? It is almost always followed by: Why is it the best?

So, I googled best Europe river cruise company and got some really interesting results. The results were all over the place—incomplete lists, reader polls, cruise critic best list(s), and two good river cruise authorities who have some well-reasoned lists.

Why such varied results? I just don’t think you can factor a best list without categories. I also think you have to look for how objective these lists are—the source, their qualifications to review river cruise lines and their reasons to rank on line over another.

Another key factor, in my opinion, is that all river cruises are good vacations and how valid is a best company list?—Does it have any real meaning?

Here is a key fact to support that argument—all of the 8 major lines I cover have good accommodations, free Wi-Fi, wine & beer with lunch and dinner, limited entertainment and tours included in their base fare.

At the very least, all river cruise companies are on par with premium ocean cruise companies and with a few exceptions include more than the ocean cruise lines. And, when you read my top 10 list below, you will see each of the 8 major lines I cover has at least one win somewhere on my list.

On 27 December 2018, along with 2 traveling companions. I went on a fascinating Flanders Fields Tour. We were guided by Johan Serpierters, who will guide our 2019 75th Anniversary of D Day Tour. To say he did an outstanding job is an understatement—incredibly knowledgeable, he is not overbearing with facts—he has the rare talent of making the history of the war come to life.

Most of us really do not know much about the war in terms of battles fought over a 100 years ago, so, let’s learn some about what caused the war, who were the key participants, and (the real reason for this blog) a little more about the northern part of the Western Front, which is nicknamed Flanders Fields, after the famous poem from that era.